Laptop Advice

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  • pfunk880
    MVP
    • Jul 2004
    • 4452

    #1

    Laptop Advice

    Ok, so I need a laptop for college next year. I've got a $1500 budget, I can go around $200 or so over if I really have to. I'm trying to sqeeze the absolute most I can out of my money, something that's going to have the power to still be a good machine four years from now.

    What would you guys recommend for me to get the most for my money?
    Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
    Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers
  • nyyanksfan20
    MVP
    • Feb 2003
    • 1650

    #2
    Re: Laptop Advice

    Originally posted by pfunk880
    Ok, so I need a laptop for college next year. I've got a $1500 budget, I can go around $200 or so over if I really have to. I'm trying to sqeeze the absolute most I can out of my money, something that's going to have the power to still be a good machine four years from now.

    What would you guys recommend for me to get the most for my money?
    Considering I was in the same position as you last year I can tell you what I did. I got a 9300 Inspiron from Dell. It has a Geforce 6800 Pro in it if your into playing PC games. It cost around 1400. When I was looking around last year I found Dell to be the better value than the rest. And I love my 9800 so i'd def recommend it.

    The only problem is its kinda big 17" widescreen and all so if you plan on carrying it it may not be the best option.
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    • Herbsinator
      All Star
      • Sep 2003
      • 4573

      #3
      Re: Laptop Advice

      Have you thought about a Mac?

      Comment

      • TheMatrix31
        RF
        • Jul 2002
        • 52908

        #4
        Re: Laptop Advice

        Whatever you're gonna do, if it's from Dell, make sure to use one of those fat coupons (20% off, 30% off) they have.

        Comment

        • pfunk880
          MVP
          • Jul 2004
          • 4452

          #5
          Re: Laptop Advice

          Originally posted by Herbsinator
          Have you thought about a Mac?
          Aren't they generally more expensive?

          I don't want to sound ignorant, I've just never been much of a Mac guy. And I would like to do a little bit of gaming.
          Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
          Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers

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          • billmatic
            Treble Complete
            • Nov 2004
            • 7365

            #6
            Re: Laptop Advice

            Originally posted by TheMatrix31
            Whatever you're gonna do, if it's from Dell, make sure to use one of those fat coupons (20% off, 30% off) they have.

            agreed.

            i got mine when they had the $750 off $1500 deal going. every once in a while they have some ridiculous deals, i guess when they want to clear inventory.

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            • Herbsinator
              All Star
              • Sep 2003
              • 4573

              #7
              Re: Laptop Advice

              Originally posted by pfunk880
              Aren't they generally more expensive?

              I don't want to sound ignorant, I've just never been much of a Mac guy. And I would like to do a little bit of gaming.
              Well...where are you going to college at? Chances are you can get a student discount and that will lower the price of a Powerbook to around 1500 bucks.

              Comment

              • pfunk880
                MVP
                • Jul 2004
                • 4452

                #8
                Re: Laptop Advice

                Originally posted by Herbsinator
                Well...where are you going to college at? Chances are you can get a student discount and that will lower the price of a Powerbook to around 1500 bucks.
                Bradley.

                They have a discount with Dell, not sure about Mac.
                Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
                Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers

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                • nyyanksfan20
                  MVP
                  • Feb 2003
                  • 1650

                  #9
                  Re: Laptop Advice

                  Originally posted by billmatic
                  agreed.

                  i got mine when they had the $750 off $1500 deal going. every once in a while they have some ridiculous deals, i guess when they want to clear inventory.
                  Yeah that too forgot to mention that.
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                  • pfunk880
                    MVP
                    • Jul 2004
                    • 4452

                    #10
                    Re: Laptop Advice

                    I'm looking at Dell, HP, and Sony right now.

                    Leaning towards Dell, especially since they always have great sale prices, and I can add like a 6% student discount on top of that.
                    Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
                    Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers

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                    • dieselboy
                      --------------
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 18040

                      #11
                      Re: Laptop Advice

                      I have a Dell, Inspiron 600m (with upgraded specs), that I bought in August of 2004.

                      Comment

                      • DXZeke
                        Straight Edge
                        • Feb 2003
                        • 2538

                        #12
                        Re: Laptop Advice

                        When i saw the Thread Headline, seriously, I thought it said "Lapdance Advice"..... im not kidding. Sometimes working 3rd shift makes you see things crazily. Mad Cow
                        BeyondMediaOnline.com

                        Comment

                        • Silverstring
                          Pro
                          • Feb 2003
                          • 739

                          #13
                          Re: Laptop Advice

                          Originally posted by pfunk880
                          Aren't they generally more expensive?

                          I don't want to sound ignorant, I've just never been much of a Mac guy. And I would like to do a little bit of gaming.
                          Apple might SEEM more expensive, but thats only because they don't offer one of those bargain-basement Dell-type $500-$700 laptops that you see eligible for those huge coupons or in some compusa clearance sale. Apple's cheapest laptop starts at $999.

                          If you take a Dell laptop and price it out, spec-for-spec, to what an Apple laptop offers, you'll see the difference is negligible(see here for one example: http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/02...on2/index.php). Add in the included software that comes with a Mac, which is very difficult to match on the PC side, and the value becomes clearer. I know it would be a little past your price range, but with a student discount, the new 15'' Macbook pro base model is $1799 after student discount(Bradley DOES have an educational discount with Apple). Compared to a Dell, build quality is better, the laptop is lighter and thinner, and some specs can't be had with a Dell.

                          If you decide Mac is not the way to go, I would recommend Lenonvo or Sony, but NOT HP or Dell. I know some people swear by them, but I know more than a handful of people who went in a different direction(mostly the Apple route), because their Dell laptops failed. And I hear horror stories about HP laptops all the time-they're big, heavy, creaky monsters.

                          My biggest piece of advice would be this, as someone who bought a new laptop specifically for going to college, and am now on my second: don't sneeze at one or two pounds of weight or an inch or two of size, because you're seduced by specs and price. THose small increases may not look like much on paper, but the minute you have your laptop in a bag with a couple of other books, you WILL feel it, and regret it. You don't want to be leaving your laptop behind because its too heavy, or struggling in class to pull your monster out of your bag and place it on one of those half-desks most college classrooms have. Battery life suffers with the bigger and heavier laptops too. Regardless of which manufacturer you go with, I wouldn't recommend going with anything over 15.5 inches and 6 pounds MAX.

                          Good luck with your decision.
                          I drive a 2005 Toyota Prius Gas/Electric Hybrid. My last tank was 53.6 miles/gallon. Gas prices fear me!

                          Oversimplification is the escape of men who want to avoid the duty demanded by true understanding.

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                          • MC Fatigue
                            Banned
                            • Feb 2006
                            • 4150

                            #14
                            Re: Laptop Advice

                            In my opinion, stay the hell away from MAC's.

                            One thing I'd look for is battery life, if you're going to be possibly using it a lot while not plugged in.

                            The battery life on my laptop is shameful - but I almost never use it where I don't have power, so it wasn't a big deal for me.

                            I have a VAIO - it's ok, but I don't know if I'd go for one again.

                            Comment

                            • bergie56
                              T*rg*t F**ld
                              • Mar 2004
                              • 3984

                              #15
                              Re: Laptop Advice

                              If you are buying a laptop, make sure you allow the battery to die from time to time. Having it constantly plugged in can kill the battery. I have always found battery life to be sustained in consumer electronics by not charging them everyday and letting the battery get really low. Maybe it has just been conincidence though.

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